How to treat a hoop coop for mites? Can anybody help?

[Moogie]

Well, I just discovered mites and/or lice on my flock of 14 chickens this morning. I thought the BRs were going through a mini-molt, but decided to give them a closer look. Ugh. White clusters of eggs on the feather shaft at the skin and tiny little reddish dots scurrying around. so gross!

Here is what I've done so far: After spending a couple of hours searching this forum, I gave each one a spray of Adams flea and tick mist with Precor above and below the vent, back of the head, under each wing, and on the stomach of those that were balding there. I sprayed all the roosting 2x4's with a strong bleach solution - top, bottom, and sides and ends where they're zip tied to the hardware cloth on the hoop coop. Then I dusted with sevin on the floor and inside the nesting boxes. I added a cat litter box full of ashes mixed with DE and a little sevin which the girls have played in all afternoon. I've ordered the Adams Dip from Amazon and will use that if all this doesn't do the trick.

But my question is about how to treat the dirt-floor hoop coop, other than what I've done? They're inside it (12x16') all day, except for an hour in the morning and again at dusk. I read lots of posts about how people treated their enclosed coops, but our climate is so mild that my hens prefer the hoop coop year-round. Should I spray the wood 2x4 foundation with sevin, as well?

And does anyone know how long it takes for the Adams spray to work? Will the eggs just fall off the feather shaft? Thanks so much for any help or suggestions -- I really appreciate all the great info on this forum!

For some reason my iPad won't add an image of the hoop coop, but here it is:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/5888393

 

[GoldenSparrow]

I might have the same problem,
and would like to know as well?

 

[Maveh]

Hi, last summer I had red mites so bad we had to call the natural pest control company to spray the coop and the outside perimeter of our house. Little red mites everywhere, they rode into the house on our cats! They sprayed a pyrethrin insecticide that is an organic insecticide that affects the nervous system of the mite.
So far this year, no return of mites. But, I spray "poultry protector" on all the wood once a month, and every two months I try to wet down the entire coop, spray with orange cleaner or Shaklee basic H, scrub the heck out of the wood, rinse and let dry.
I use the DE on the ground---That's all I know.
Hope you never have them again!

 

[Moogie]

Maven, thank you -- that's good to know. The Adams spray is a pyrethrin, too--so maybe this will take care of the problem. I also ordered the Adams dip, as well, just in case.

I checked my hens 24 hours later and didn't see any lice activity...the eggs on the feather shafts had turned brownish colored from the bright white. Don't know if it's just from the spray or if they're dead. Does anyone know if I need to remove them? The Adams spray stated that it works for 2 months, killing any eggs hatching, so I was just wondering if this wouldn't even be necessary...or whether they'll just flake off, if dead.

I'll continue checking the chickens daily - I'd still like to know whether the eggs have to be removed, if anyone knows.

And how do you remove them anyway? Someone said to rub coconut oil on - but with 14 hens, that's a lot of time and feathers...not to mention tedious!